Previous Site Visit Recommendations

Standard 1 – Institutional Effectiveness

Standard 2 Educational Program

Recommendation #1, DH Standard 2-22

Narrative: Dental hygiene students should experience a series of broad-based activities dealing with diverse populations to ensure competence in oral health education and preventive counseling for individuals and groups. Population-based activities allow students to apply community dental health principles to prevent disease and promote health in groups. The Accreditation Standards require that students assess, plan, implement, and evaluate community-based oral health programs. After a review of the documentation provided, the visiting committee learned that dental hygiene student area required to conduct three community oral health presentations. After the presentations, students perform self-evaluations and are critiqued by staff at the field facility. The field faculty staff evaluation focus on the students’ organization and presentation skills. The visiting committee concluded that students conduct informal assessments, but fail to evaluate the effectiveness of their community oral health interventions.

Recommendation 1: It is recommended that students be competent in evaluating community-based oral heath programs. (DH Standard 2-22)

Response: In 2002, the dental hygiene program redesigned the course by adding a laboratory component to devote more time to the development, evaluation and follow up of population-based community dental health projects. The Community Dental Health Project Evaluation form was redesigned to include sections for assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. To more accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the community oral health interventions, this evaluation form requires all students to do a follow up evaluation for their projects. The On-Site Evaluation form was revised and includes an area for the staff at the facility to document that arrangements were made to determine the effectiveness of the presentation. A copy of these forms can be found in the Community Dental Health (DENH2550) section of the Curriculum Document provided

Standard 3 – Administration, Faculty and Staff

Standard 4 – Educational Support Services

Recommendation #2, Standard 4-3a

Narrative: The laboratory facilities should include an appropriate number of student stations with the equipment and space for individual student performance of laboratory procedures with instructor supervision. The visiting team inspected the program’s combination classroom/laboratory space, which was comprised of 20 student workstations. Each work area was equipped with adequate utilities, storage space, lighting and an adjustable chair. In addition, there was a laboratory adjacent to the classroom and across from the clinic that was furnished with additional equipment to support the dental materials course and serve the clinic. The visiting team noted one model trimmer for use by 18-36 students. The documentation provided for the visiting team indicated that each student was required to trim at least eight dental casts over three semesters. Dental Materials is taught during semester II, with 36 students sharing one model trimmer. Additionally, current safety guidelines require that operators of laboratory equipment be protected from injury by splatter, spray, and/or foreign objects that become airborne during use of the machine. The visiting team observed that the model trimmer present in the laboratory is not equipped with a protective shield.

Recommendation 2: It is recommended that program review and revises the laboratory facility to provide for effective instruction and allow for required laboratory activities, and contain equipment that is conducive to efficient and safe utilization. (DH Standard 4-3 a)

Response: In 2001, the dental hygiene program purchased two new Ray Foster model trimmers with protective shields. In 2005-2006, the dental hygiene program had a $100,000 bonding bill approved and relocated and redesigned the lab. It is approximately four times the size of the former lab and now located adjacent to the clinic facility. It provides adequate and effective instruction and allows for all required laboratory activities to be completed in an efficient and safe environment.

Standard 5 – Health and Safety Provisions

Recommendation #3: DH Standard 5-1

Narrative: The dental hygiene program has established and enforced mechanisms to ensure adequate asepsis, infection and biohazard control and disposal of hazardous waste. These policies comply with applicable state and federal agencies and work to provide a safe environment for students, patients, faculty, and staff. The program also complies with applicable non-discriminatory policies, providing treatment to all patients regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin or inclusion in a group or class protected by state or federal law. These policies are provided to students, faculty, staff and patients. It was noted in the self-study and confirmed on-site that no mechanism is in place to provide potential applicants with policies on bloodborne and infectious diseases.

Recommendation 3: It is recommended that policies on bloodborne and infectious diseases be made available to applicants for admission. (DH Standard 5-1)

Response: The following written disclosure statement, including the potential risk or exposure to bloodborne pathogens, has been made available to all prospective students who apply to Lake Superior College and list dental hygiene as an interest, as well as dental hygiene applicants who have been accepted into the program.

“Due to the nature of the clinical experiences in the dental hygiene program, students will be participating in a work environment that has the potential of exposure to bloodborne pathogens. All students accepted into the dental hygiene program are provided with written policy and instruction on infection control protocol to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Policies and procedures on the dental hygiene program’s infection control protocol are available to all applicants upon request. Other work related disorders associated with the practice of dental hygiene could result from repetitive activities and exposure to high decibel sounds. Advancements in design and technology in the profession are continually evolving to minimize these effects. The program complies with all institutional, local, state, and federal policies”.

The disclosure information is disseminated as follows:

Sent with the dental hygiene program planner which is sent to any student who applies to the college and lists an interest in the dental hygiene program

Included in the Lake Superior College General Catalog. This document is included in the self-study documents.

Included in the dental hygiene program website information which can be accessed at